


Sobriquet

by vcg73



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 03:03:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5318045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vcg73/pseuds/vcg73
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sight of Teyla – usually so polite and respectful of other people's feelings and customs – yukking it up with John, Ronon, and Jeannie Miller at Rodney's expense in "McKay and Mrs. Miller" made me wonder if she might feel differently after she'd had a little time to think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sobriquet

As she entered the Atlantis mess hall, Teyla's eyes scanned the mostly empty room, her gaze settling upon the object of her search almost immediately. Nodding to herself, the Athosian woman made a point of obtaining a helping of today's lunch offering, though she was not at all hungry. Earth people had customs when it came to conversation, and the introduction of an uncomfortable topic was made easier for them if they could digest the words along with their meal.

"Dr. McKay, do you mind if I join you?" she asked, stopping before the oblivious scientist with her tray raised inquiringly.

Rodney looked up, round blue eyes blinking rapidly as he dragged his attention away from whatever thoughts had been occupying him. "What? Oh, sure. Have a seat."

She accepted the invitation gracefully, poking her fork at the peculiar orange mass on her plate. "What does your cook call this substance again?"

"Spaghetti. Very popular back home. You should try it with a little bit of cheese sprinkled over the top."

Teyla took his advice, adding a bit of grated white cheese from the small dish Rodney offered before winding a bit of spaghetti over her fork and taking a small bite. Her mouth curved into a smile as she chewed. "This is quite delicious. One never knows when appearances may prove deceiving."

Helping himself to a heaping forkful from his own plate, Rodney nodded with enthusiasm. "Doesn't seem right does it? Some of the best tasting foods I've had on the trading planets we've visited have also been the most disgusting looking."

"Or sounding," she agreed. "Remember the dessert item on MX3-947?"

He snorted. "Prooka Paste. Yeah, they could've worked on that one a little."

"And yet the flavor was excellent. A most enjoyable dish."

Rodney shrugged. "Ya never know, I guess."

Seeing that she was about to lose his attention to the laptop again, Teyla raised her voice slightly. "Such consideration is also true of people."

He grunted, the sound either disagreement or indigestion, it was difficult to tell from the grimace that accompanied it.

Teyla realized that she would have to be more direct. "Meredith."

The signs she had been expecting appeared immediately. McKay's spine stiffened, his shoulders hunched, and his features froze into a look of dread and wariness.

Teyla's own features softened into a fond smile. "It is an unusual name among your people, is it not? I have never heard a similar one. What is its meaning?"

Rodney's rigid posture relaxed slightly when it became apparent that she was not going to laugh again, at least not right away. "Um . . . I'm not sure, really. It's an old Welsh name, I think?" Seeing her questioning look, he added, "Wales is a country on Earth. It's not too far from Scotland, where Carson is from."

"And it is a name that can be bestowed upon both male and female," she said, not really making it a question. Her smile turned wry. "In spite of Colonel Sheppard's insistence that Meredith is a girl's name."

He grimaced, but the look was more resigned than irritated. "It can be either, like Chris or Kim or Lynne, but for the last 50 years or so, it's been primarily given to girls." He snorted. "A fact of which I've been reminded by pretty much everyone I've ever met."

"And that is why you do not use it, except within your family."

Rodney shrugged. "Not much I can do to change that. My mom used the name, then Jeannie picked it up, and so . . ." He waved one agitated hand up into the air, then shrugged again.

"Did the name have particular significance to your mother?" Teyla asked, having picked up a hint of something in his voice.

For a long moment, Rodney stared at her, frowning in a puzzled manner. "Why are you so interested in this, anyway?"

Forgoing her pretense of hunger, Teyla pushed her tray aside and folded her hands, leaning forward to devote her full attention to the man opposite her. "Because a few nights ago, I listened to the stories told by your sister, enjoying them as they revealed more information than you have ever chosen to share with us. Laughing at them, because I was enjoying the effect those stories had upon Sheppard and your own reactions to them." Her smile took on a hint of mischief. "Sometimes you are quite fun to tease, Rodney."

Though he looked a bit unhappy with her observation, he merely sighed. "And Jeannie would know all the right buttons to push. Disadvantage of having grown up together."

Teyla nodded. "I am also pursuing this topic because I realized too late, that in my enjoyment of your reaction, I had offended you. Perhaps even hurt you, and that was not my intention. I owe you an apology."

Rodney looked shocked. His mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

"What is the significance of the name Meredith?" she pressed, honestly curious to know.

Seeming unable to come up with any reason not to tell her, Rodney said, "It was her father's name. My mom, that is. I never actually met him. He died just a few weeks before I was born, but I still remember her talking about him like he was the greatest man that ever lived." Rodney shifted uncomfortably. "My mom passed away when I was young, and I guess I held on to any little scrap of information she left me. I don't remember much, but I do remember her telling stories about her dad. He wasn't famous. He wasn't a genius, or anything grand and brilliant. Just a working-class man, who was devoted to his family and took care of them for as long as he was able."

"And your mother loved him deeply, and wished to honor his memory by passing his name onto her first born child."

Rodney looked a little surprised. "I guess so, yeah."

"Then I must apologize again for my behavior," Teyla said, bowing her head respectfully. "For I know what it is to love and honor one's father; to wish to preserve the memory of a kind and devoted man. You are fortunate to carry the legacy of your grandfather by bearing his name."

"I never really thought of it that way before."

Teyla rose from her chair, and held out her right hand in the Earth custom. Rodney accepted the handshake without thought. "I am pleased to have learned more about you, Meredith Rodney McKay," she said formally.

Rodney's brows rose in surprise, but a pleased smile lifted his lips. "Thank you." Then the smile faltered a little, growing worried. "You aren't going to keep calling me that, are you?"

A ringing laugh bubbled from the Athosian's lips, laughing _with_ Rodney this time rather than at him. "No, Dr. McKay."

Relief washed over his features. "Oh . . . well, then, good." Eyeing her lunch tray, which still held an untouched chocolate brownie and a cup of blue jello, hope filled his eyes. "You gonna finish that?"

Teyla smiled and passed over the desserts. "I will see you at the mission briefing this evening."

Peeling back the foil covering on the jello cup, his eyes already fixed on his laptop again, Rodney waved vaguely. "Yes, right, see you later."

Within seconds he was once more absorbed in the electronic symbols crawling across the small screen. Teyla shook her head and departed. She might never understand her Earth friends completely, this one in particular, but as she glanced back at the man who was now excitedly tapping away on the keyboard of his laptop, she smiled. 

Often the most difficult puzzles to solve were the ones that proved most worthy of the effort.

THE END


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